Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-08-23
"L,ad on ,hen," Rachel replied. "fcr
I am anxious 10 be there too"

Jane went 20 their house, which the
wife was much more pleased with than
che had expected. Samuel went over In
the afternoon and found them ~ happy
a. clans At high water.
lie loaned Swipes few pounds from
the sum Mrs. Thsyer had inirus.ed to
him, by which he Was enabled TO buy =
COW aud pig. and soms necessary srii.
el.s Of household furniture. And =
small sum also was lent 70 Jacob fof q
similar purpose.
The seed was sown and planted and !,
being an excellent season Al abandan,
crop Was harvested. More trees were
felled. more land cleared. and the little
fores, homes began TO bear evidences OF
Thrift and good management.
They kept up their connection with
their old Massachusetts, homes by letters.
which. though no, written frquen,ly.
owing to their busy life and dis'.aee
from . pos, Office. yet, were nevertheless
welcome. and gladly received BY their
friends.
Mrs. Tsylor's letters were always full
Of hone and courage. rshse.lns In them
the eheerfalness Of her Own resolution
and confidence.
IL wasa year Of hard labor for the
men. The crops were cared Tor. the
household. provided with the neeessaTie.
Of life, and the hard task OF clearing and
fencing land performed. Early and late
they lsbored. To "so to mill or TO the
store" was no small undertaking in
those days Their neare', mill WAS many
mile, away and fof some years. the gris,
OF cora was carried oa the back. OF In
winter hauled on . hand.sled when the
eru,, would bear. Often they hal TO
pound their corn by hand
The fir., .st,ler, lived upon the plain
e., food made oa, Of the staple crops
grown from the soil. aud meats. the fruits
Of the chase OF from swine. furnished .
hardy die, that produced no Indigestion
or gou,.
In the fear Of God and the s-ea, OF
their brows our grandfather. and grand
mothers lived sni aoari,hed.
The clearing Of land oceN'ioned "a i'm.
meas. amour, OF labor. The monarehs
Of the fore., had to be ca, down, and pre-.
pared for burning. AFTER which came the
pilins Of wha, hld been left unburned.
This WAS the mos, dissgreeAble part OF
the whole bushes. To ge, . good
burn" vas the creates; anxiety. and ~hsa
this was no, done much extra labor had
to be performed. Their wives catered
into the spin, Of their lsbors, and ofs,n
nigh, have been seen 10 the fields help
Ing their husbands.
Jacob. wife was jas, the woman 10
face the trial. and sacrifices OF q hons
on the frontier. When the elements
were unpropi,ious or things wen, wrong.
she was ever foremos, 20 give counsel
AID comfort. Eliza Jane would often 20
TO her for advice and assistance. and Mrs.
Thsyer found in her worthy coun,er-
par, Of herself 10 good sense and sound
judgment. though from the distance be-
tween their homes they were no, ffequsn'-
ly together.
As the new settlers moved in in after
years, "Aun, Rachel ~ she came TO be
called, Was regarded a. the principal
woman in the settlement. Hers va,
ever . house Of hospitality. The poor
were always welcome and the unfor,u.
nate never appealed to her 10 vain. The
sick did no, think themselves well treat
cd unle. she Was called 10 see them.
"Tske good care Of them and give them
good nursing" shs would often say.
"and II will do more than the doctors" I"
The Thsyer children always looked
forward with the creates, delish, TO their
visits TO the Taylor household. There
was another child TO play with, and they
were always 90 kindly welcomed and
treated ,ha, they Eel, l,,hemsslvss ., home.
They had comforts now, which bu, few
months before they had been entire
strangers TO. Tommy had procured
books aud studied hard Notwithstanding
the work he Was obliged to do, aud 70.
cited TO Samuel. who often made jour.
ney after q hard days work. to hear his
lessons. returning home, to be In resdi'
meas for the mouow's labor.
Mrs. Thsyer procured Swipe, to labor
a. clearing and fencing land, when he
WAS no, needed q, home. and in this way
be Was enabled TO pay up his indebted.
ness to her, and purchase bis household
neces.lris.. This employmen, OF S~ipes
helped two families: First. his own.
which needed the price Of his labor and
second. Mrs. ThAyef's. which had the
means bu, needed the work. She could no.
discourage Tommy In his efforts to ge, an
education, besides. she feli IL = duty 10
give him an opportunity Ia life suitable
TO bis tastes and ability.
Samuel had procured for her . deed OF
the land on which they lived. aad invest.
ed her money In real estate with good
security. a. be said |. Was better than
money in the bank. for the land Was in
crea.ing In value aud eoaldn't be burn.
up or stolen away like money 10 bank.
With the coming OF autumn the set.
tiers prepared Tor han,ing with their
other lAbors. tha, In this way they nigh!
procure little ready money for their ne.
cessities.
They were fortunate a. before but no,
In the same degree. for with the coming
Of the settlers, the most valuable fur
bearing animals largely forsook their old
hsunts and sought out Others, where the
foot Of the white man had never trodden.
When the cold season approached they
were prepared Tor it. Ia the large open
fre-plsces. taking in four foo. wood.
blsled = splendid FIRE, sending out Il.
genial warmth. and pleasant light, seated
around which at evening. were the fami.
lies Of the settlers To make such fire.
shack log" VAS first obtained. and
placed above the hearth on stones.
There were andirons In the Taylor and
Thsyer houssholds) was the foresiiek.
Between these Was the eleft wood. where
the FIRE was first started. Nothing in
cheerfulness and comfort ever did or ever
will. take the place Of the old open fire.
place.
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